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| the theory of cosmology in which the expansion of the universe began with a primeval explosion (of space, time, matter, and energy) |
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| a model in which the universe expands from a Big Bang, stops, and then contracts to a big crunch |
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| cosmic microwave background (CMB) |
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| microwave radiation coming from all directions that is the redshifted afterglow of the Big Bang |
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| the term in the equations of general relativity that represents a repulsive force in the universe |
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| the study of the organization and evolution of the universe |
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| in cosmology, the density that is just sufficient to bring the expansion of the universe to a stop after infinite time |
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| the energy that is causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate; its existence is inferred from observations of distant supernovae |
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| nonluminous material, whose nature we don’t yet understand, but whose presence can be inferred because of its gravitational influence on luminous matter |
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| a form of hydrogen in which the nucleus of each atom consists of one proton and one neutron |
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| a model of the universe that has a critical density and in which the geometry of the universe is flat, like a sheet of paper |
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| the building of heavier atomic nuclei from lighter ones |
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| the third element in the periodic table; lithium nuclei with three protons and four neutrons were manufactured during the first few minutes of the expansion of the universe |
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| a model in which the density of the universe is not high enough to bring the expansion of the universe to a halt |
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| when radiation began to stream freely through the universe without interacting with matter |
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| weakly interacting massive particles |
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| (WIMPs) weakly interacting massive particles are one of the candidates for the composition of dark matter |
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